Train-stopping apparatus.



A. H. HUSSBY.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1913. 1,1 12,379,, Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

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A. H. HUSSEY.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION PILED,SEPT .16, 1913.

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Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

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ASA'HEL H. I-IUSSEY, or wnirrrnn, CALIFORNIA.

TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914..

Application filed September 16, 1913. Serial No. 730,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I AsAr-rnn TF1. Hussnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVhittier, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in train stopping apparatus and has particu lar application to automatic train stops.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide train stopping apparatus which. will embody among other features brake shoes capable of movement to braking and noirbraking positions and an electric motor connected with the shoes and adapted when energized to actuate the latter to braking position, means being provided to cut off the flow-of current to the motor immediately succeeding the movement of the shoes to braking position, means being also provided to hold the brake shoes in braking position succeeding the deenergization of the motor. l

Furthermore, I aim to provide an automatic braking apparatus of the track type which will be brought into service automatically when the propelling power of a car or train as the case may be is cut off the engineer or motorman.

A further object of theinventionis the provision of an automatic train stopping apparatus which may be installed 011 any railroad and which when once installed may be maintained at a minimum expense.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a train equipped with my improved train stopping apparatus, the latter being shown diagrammatically. 2 is a view in elevation of a part of the invention. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line/ll of Fig. 1, the brake shoes being shown in nonbraking position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the brake shoes in braking position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mechanism illus trated in Figs. 1 and 5. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, 1, l designateparallellines of rails forming a trackway, while A designates a train operating over the trackway and composed, in the present instance, of a locomotive, a tender and a passenger coach coupled one to the other.

uMy improved train stopping apparatus comprises a main or train circuit 2 extending'v throughoutthe length of the train or car asthe case may be and connected up with a suitable source of electrical energy such, for instance, as a storage battery 3.

The numeral 1 designates a throttle valve which, in the present instance, is adapted to be rotated to open and closed position and .hasconnected to one end of the stem thereof an operating handle 5 located within convenient reach of the engineer of the train. Journalcd in suitable bearings on the locoinotiveand coaxial with the stem of the valve 4 1s a vertical shaft 6 having fixed to its upper end an arm '7 carrying a pawl 8 cooperating with the teethv of a ratchet wheel 9 fast upon the lower end of the stem ofthe valve 4. Connected in series in the circuit 2 is a circuit closer composed, in the present instance, of an arm 10 rigidly secured to the shaft 6 adjacent to the lower end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom at right angles thereto and equipped at its free end with an upwardly projecting stem 11. Fastened to an appropriate partof the engine in the path of movement of the arm 10 and adapted to receive thesame is a yoke-shaped contact 12, the eontact12 and the arm 10 being provided with suitable binding posts 13, 13 to which the respective terminals of the circuit 2 are connected, as illustrated in Figs. 1,2 and 3 of the drawings. At the opposite side of the arm 10 or in the path of movement thereof is a stop 14 fastened to a suitable part of the frame of the engine and adapted to limit the movement of the arm 10 away from the contact 12.

The numeral 15 designates a suitable form of track trip, composed, in this form of my invention, of a standard 16 having the trip arm 17 pivoted thereon adjacent to the upper end thereof and capable of movement to active, and inactive positions, the arm, when active,lying in a horizontal plane and 1 with the stop 14 and out of engagement with the contact 12 and when the trip arm 17 of a trip is active, incident to the respective signal being set at danger, and a train passes such signal, the stem 11 on the arm 9contacts with the active trip arm 17 and so swings the arm 10 and rotates the shaft 6 within its, bearings so that the arm 10 engages the contact12 and so closes the circuit 2, while the pawl 8, in the rotation of the shaft 6,.rotates the ratchet wheel 9 and so moves the throttle'valve to closed po' sition so that communication between the cylinders of the engine andthe steam space of the boiler is cut off.

Mounted upon each car adjacent to the opposite ends thereof and preferably supported by the car truck is a base board 18 arranged transversely of the lines of rails of the trackway, Each base board supports a braking mechanism of the track gripping type.-

Each braking mechanism comprises pairs of levers 19, the levers of each pair being fulcrumed between the ends thereof as at 20 upon the base board 18 and disposed above and at the opposite sides of one of the lines of rails. Suitably fastened to the inner faces of the lower ends of the levers 19 are brake shoes 21 adapted, when in braking position, to grip the respective lines of rails 1.

The numerals 22, 23 designate operating levers disposed above each, pair of brake levers 19 and. having the lower ends thereof connected through the medium of horizontal links 24 with the upper ends of the brake levers 19. The operating lever 22 is fulcrumedup on the base board 18 adjacent to its lower end as at 25, while the companion lever 23 is fulcrumed upon the base board at its upper end as at 26, a rod 27 connecting the levers 22 and 23 for simultaneous movement. Extending upwardly from the upper edge of the base board 13 and fastened thereto is a bracket 28 carrying an electric motor 29 having the armature shaft thereof disposed in a vertical plane and journaled in vertically alining bearings carried by the "outer face of the base board 18 is a drum 30 having the vertical shaft thereof disposed to one side of the plane of the armature shaft. Keyed -upon the lower end of the armature shaft of the motor 29 is a pinion 31 meshing with These l a gear 32 keyed upon the upper end of the shaft of the drum 30 and fixed to the upper surface of the gear 32 concentrically of the axis thereof is a ratchet wheel having the teeth thereof in engagement with. a spring pressed holding dog or pawl 3-1 pivoted upon a bracket 85 extending outwardly from the base 18. Fastened to the drum 30 at diametrically opposite points are the inner ends of chains 36, 36 or other flexible elements adapted to be wound about the drum in the rotation thereof, in relatively reverse directions and having the outer ends thereof secured to the upper extremities of the levers 22, 22. Each motor 29 is connected in multiple with the circuit 2 by way of conductors 37, 38 and the conductor 38 is split and has the confronting ends of such split portion connected with contacts 39 spaced apart and adapted to be bridged by a blade 10 connected to an arm 41 pivoted upon a stud 12. In the present instance, the stud 4-2 is carried by one end of a block 4.3 square in cross section and having the inner end thereof provided with a cleat e14 slidably mounted upon a guide -15 secured to the base board 18, the cleat being provided with a set screw 16 whereby the same may be held in any desired adjusted position. The free end of the arm 41 is provided with an inwardly extending shank 1-7 disposed in the path of movement of one of the arms 22.

In operation, when the switch composed of the arm 10 and contact 12 has been closed, as previously described, and the main circuit 2 energized, the motors 29 connected in multiple with such circuit will be actuated and through the pinions 31 and gears 32 rotate the drums 30 with the effect to wind up the chains 36 and so swing the levers 22 and 23 about their fulcrums. In the swinging movement of the lever 22 under the action of the chains 36, the connecting rods 27 will impart movement to the levers 23 whereby the latter will cooperate with the levers 22 to swing the brake levers 19 so that the shoes 21 will grip the rails of the trackway and so bring the train to a standstill. Normally, the blades 40 bridge the contacts 89 and when the lovers 22 are actuated as just described, such levers engage the shank 4-7 and swing the arm 41 about the stud 12 whereby the blades 4-0 move out of engagement with the contacts 39 so that the flow of current through the motors is cut elf immediately that the brakes are actuated to braking position, the holding pawls 34rmaintaining the brakes in braking position succeeding the deenergization of the motor. The levers of each pair 22, 23 are interconnected through the medium of a coiled contractile spring -18 so that when the holding pawl 31- is released the brake shoes will be restored to normal or non-braking position. The brake shoes when in inactive position are disposed 'in a plane above that of the rails 1, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4, so that when the car is passing grade crossings, switches, etc., the shoes will be entirely free of the rails. j

The numeral 49 designates a leaf spring having one end fastened to a stud 50 proj ecting outwardly fromthe base 18 adjacent. to the block 48, such spring bearing upon the block and holding theblade 4:0 in one or the other of its positions.

By means of the adjustable connection between the arm ll and the base, it will be seen that the arm may be caused to operate when the operating lever 22 reaches any predetermined position.

An audible signal, such, for instance, as a bell 50 is connected in multiple with the circuit 2 and preferably located in each car of the train so as to advise the occupants of such car when the brakes are applied.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my automatic train stop will be readily apparent. It will be seen that I have provided an automatic train stopping apparatus whereby a train or car, as the case may be, will be automatically brought to a standstill, in the event of the same passing a set danger signal, while each time that the engineer of the train closes the throttle valve, the brakes will be automatically applied, incident to the rotation of the shaft 6 from the stem of the valve i.

In the form of my invention selected for illustrative purposes, the blades 40 are manually restored to normal position, while the holding pawls or dogs 84 are designed to be manually released subsequent to the application of the brakes. It is conceivable, however, that suitable automatic mechanism may be employed to release the holding dog and restore the blades 40 to engagement with the contacts 39. When installing my improved tra1n stopping apparatus in a car or train equipped with the usual air brake system, the pawl 8 may be thrown, manually, out of engagement with the ratchet 9 whenever the throttle valve is closed by the engineer, thereby eliminating the application of the track brakes when the throttle valve is manually operated.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction, herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In train stopping apparatus, a normally open electric circuit, a source of energy .sides of the lines of rails, brake shoes carried by the lower ends ofsaid levers, operat lng levers for swinglng sald first levers to braklng and non-braking positions, motors connected in said circuit, connections between each motor and the respective operating levers, and means for closing said circuit whereby the motors will be energized andthe brake shoes actuated to braking position.

2. In train stopping apparatus,anormally open electric circuit, a 7 source of energy therefor, car brakes, each comprising pairs of levers, the levers of each pair being fulerumed between the ends thereof up on the car body and disposed above and at the opposite sides of the lines of rails, brake shoes carried by the lower ends of said levers, operating levers for swinging said first levers to braking and non-braking positions, motors connected in said circuit, connections between each motor and therespective operating levers, means for closing said circuit whereby the motors will be energized and the brake shoes actuated to braking position, and means holding said brake shoes normally inactive.

3. In train stopping apparatus, a normally open electric circuit, 7 a source of energy therefor, car brakes, each comprising pairs of levers, the levers of each pair being fulcrumed between the ends thereof upon the car body and disposed above and at the opposite sides of the lines of rails, brake shoes carried by the lower ends of said levers operating levers for swinging said first levers to braking and non-braking positions, motors connected in said circuit, connections between each motor and the respective operating levers, means for closing said circuit whereby the motors will be energized and the brake shoes actuated to braking position, means holding said brake shoes normally inactive, and means for interrupting the flow of current through each motor succeed ing the operation of said operating levers.

4. In train stopping apparatus, a normally open electric circuit, a source of energy therefor, car brakes, each comprising pairs of levers, the levers of each pair being fulcrumed between the ends thereof upon the car body and disposed above and at the opposite sides orthe lilies of rails, brake shoes carried by the lower ends of said levers, operating levers for swinging said first levers to braking and non-braking positions, motors connected in said circuit, connections be tween each motor and the respective operating levers, means for closing said circuit whereby the motors will beenergized and the brake shoes actuated to braking position,

means holding said brake shoes normally inactive, means for interrupting the flow of current through each motor succeeding the operation of said operating levers and In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 1n presence of two wltnesses.

ASAHEL H. HUSSEY.

means for holding the brake shoes in brak- Witnesses: lng posltlon succeedlng the deenerglzatlon G110. E. LITTLE, of the motor.- T. P. CROOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent:,

1 Washington, D. G. 

